Crosslinked polyethylene tubing (PEX) is widely used in plumbing applications for potable water. In such systems, connections are made using fittings which are crimped in place. There are currently many tools available for this application which can be categorized into three groups as follows.
Battery powered hydraulic tools are known. However, these tools are much more common for pressing metal systems as compared to applications involving pressing or crimping plastic systems. This is likely a result of the relatively high forces needed for metal systems and that are attainable using hydraulic systems.
Manual tools are also known. These tools are by far the most common for plastic crimping applications. The configurations of these tools are similar to various pliers used for other applications. A toggle or “over-center” mechanism is typically used to achieve mechanical advantage in these designs. However, these tools can lead to significant operator discomfort and exhaustion for applications in which many crimps must be made.
Battery powered mechanical tools for crimping have been proposed. A few tools exist which use a screw mechanism to apply force to a toggle mechanism similar to that used in manual tools.
Although satisfactory in many respects, a need remains for a battery powered crimp tool which overcomes various disadvantages associated with currently known crimp tools.